Sri Lanka- Former CID Director Shani Abeysekara transferred to IDH hospital

(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette)

By Vyshnavy Velrajh

Former Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Shani Abeysekara has been transferred to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Angoda.

Shani Abeysekara is in remand custody after he was arrested by the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) in July on charges of fabricating evidence in connection to a case filed on the arrest of former Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Vass Gunawardena.

Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya told Colombo Gazette that Abeysekara was initially transferred to the Galella Covid treatment facility in Polonnaruwa after he was detected to have contracted the coronavirus.

He had contracted the virus while in remand custody at the Mahara prison.

Concerns were later raised on Abeysekara being held at the Galella Covid treatment facility and not a hospital.

The daughter of slain journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge and the family members of a group of missing people have sought urgent medicalcare for Abeysekara.

In a letter to the Police Department, they pointed out that Abeysekara conducted or supervised investigations that uncovered the identity of those who took their loved ones from them, in his capacity as a senior officer and later director of the CID.

Responding to the concerns, Commissioner General of Prisons Thushara Upuldeniya had told Colombo Gazette that the Galella Covid treatment facility in Polonnaruwa is operated by health officials and not the military. (Colombo Gazette)

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